Dolly’s Wit - 10 Of Dolly Parton’s Most Iconic Quotes

Dolly Parton was known for many things: her extraordinary songwriting, her distinctive voice, her rhinestone-covered style and her ability to make people laugh.

But alongside her music and entertainment career, Dolly also became known for her sharp wit, self-deprecating humour and thoughtful observations about life.

Dolly Parton. Photo credit: Bart Sherkow, Shutterstock

The country music icon died in Nashville on Tuesday, August 25, at the age of 80, following a brief battle with cancer.

Across a career spanning seven decades, Dolly went from growing up as one of 12 children in rural Tennessee to becoming one of the most recognisable entertainers in the world.

Her music brought her global fame, with songs including Jolene and I Will Always Love You becoming enduring classics. She also successfully crossed into film and television, with her role in 9 to 5 making her a major Hollywood star, while later appearances in films including Steel Magnolias cemented her place in popular culture.

Yet Dolly's legacy extends well beyond entertainment.

Dolly Parton. Photo credit: DFree Shutterstock

Through the Imagination Library, which she founded in 1995, she helped provide free books to young children, while she also donated $1 million towards Covid-19 research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Her generosity was often matched by a refreshing lack of pretension. Dolly could laugh at her own image, speak openly about her ambitions and poke fun at the wigs, clothes and glamour that became part of her trademark look.

Dolly Parton. Photo credit: Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock

Many of her most memorable comments captured exactly that combination of humour, confidence and warmth.

The following collection of Dolly Parton's most iconic quotes was compiled by Rolling Stone magazine.

1. “I’m very real where it counts, and that’s inside.”

Dolly understood that her larger-than-life appearance was only one part of who she was. Beneath the wigs, make-up and rhinestones was a songwriter, performer and businesswoman who remained firmly in control of her own identity.

2. “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap!”

Few Dolly Parton quotes sum up her sense of humour quite as perfectly. She famously embraced her glamorous, exaggerated appearance rather than trying to hide it, turning her look into part of her brand.

3. “I don’t like to be like everybody else. I’ve often made the statement that I would never stoop so low as to be fashionable. That’s the easiest thing in the world to do.”

Dolly never seemed particularly interested in following trends. Her distinctive style, from her big hair to her glittering outfits, became instantly recognisable precisely because she made no attempt to look like everyone else.

Dolly Parton. Photo credit Jack Fordyce, Shutterstock

4. “Now I'm not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know I ain't dumb…and I know I ain't blonde!”

Her humour was often directed at the public perception of her. Dolly was perfectly happy to play along with the blonde bombshell image while making it clear that there was considerably more going on beneath the surface.

5. “[If you called me a hillbilly] it would’ve been something very natural, but I would have probably kicked your shins or something.”

Dolly was proud of her Appalachian roots and the upbringing that shaped her. But she also knew how quickly labels could become stereotypes, and she was never afraid to push back with humour.

6. “I hope I'll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world and left, you know, a few good things.”

Dolly was an incredible philanthropist. All throughout her career, she spoke out on controversial issues. She was able to put her financial success to good use through the Imagination Library, alongside many other charity initiatives. She also showed support to people who are usually discriminated against, such as the queer community.

7. “I always count my blessings, more than I count my money. I don’t work for money, never did. It was the art, it was the job. I loved the work. And I’ve done well, and I’m thankful for it.”

Her career ultimately made her enormously successful, but Dolly repeatedly spoke about her love of songwriting and performing as the driving force behind her work.

Dolly Parton. Photo credit: Adam Shanker, Shutterstock

8. “Since I had no kids and my husband was pretty independent, I had freedom. So I think a big part of my success is the fact that I was free to work. And I didn’t have children, because I believe that God didn’t mean for me to have kids, so everybody’s kids could be mine, so I could do things like the Imagination Library.”

That belief became closely connected to one of the most significant parts of Dolly's philanthropic legacy. The Imagination Library has provided free books to children for decades, turning her success into an opportunity to help families around the world.

9. “My dream was always to make as many people happy as I could in this life.”

It is a simple sentiment, but one that reflects the enormous reach of Dolly's career. Her music, films, humour and charitable work touched generations of people.

10. “I look totally artificial, but I am totally real, as a writer, as a professional, as a human being. A rhinestone shines just as good as a diamond.”

Dolly never apologised for looking different. She embraced the artificiality of her public image while insisting that the person behind it was genuine.

Dolly Parton. Photo credit: Bart Sherkow, Shutterstock